displayed in Holy Trinity Church
The church school has been at the heart of the mission of the parish church and as such, we give resources to it from the parish.
The bond with the school is not just functional; it is much more profound. There is a bond of friendship and cooperation that runs deep and long, which we give thanks for and rejoice in.
The Three Core Values of the school speak volumes about our relationship: Faith, Excellence and Community. The church and the school work together to further all of these values in the service of others.
Introduction to the church for school families and pupils
Dear friends,
Welcome to Westbury-on-Trym Academy and also to the parish church of Westbury-on-Trym! My name is André Hart, the vicar, also known by some as Father André. I hope to get to know as many of you as possible. Holy Trinity Church has as one of its mission priorities to be at the heart of the village and to be a church that welcomes everyone. We aim to keep the doors as wide as possible so that all who come will find a warm welcome and a place that will become a second home to them. What we are passionate about is sharing God’s love with everyone and this includes serving our school in a number of areas.
I am involved in assemblies at school, serving on the governing body and making real connections between the school and the church through a number of services every year. We also have an annual youth camp with a significant number of pupils joining us for the weekend away, and the church welcomes a number of school visits to the church building and churchyard during the academic year. There is a church choir and a school choir that rehearse at school and perform beautifully in the church. We also have a church ‘Open the Book’ team who visit the school once a month to deliver wonderful assemblies based on Bible stories linked to the school’s value of the term, and church volunteers regularly read with children at the school. We have, over many years, had a very fruitful relationship with the school that has benefited all our pupils and we want to develop this still further.
The church, like the school, is part of our community and we aim to serve the whole community. In more challenging times, the church has been a place for prayer, comfort and encouragement and we have been active in bringing people together and serving the needs of the vulnerable and lonely. Each year, we endeavour to bring the community together through putting on a Community Fair to celebrate the rich diversity of organisations and interest in the village. We are passionate about the people of the village, families and households; they all make the village what it is.
As a Christian community, we do what we do to show the love of God by reaching out to all by offering a welcome, support and friendship. We do hope that you will join us for services and events – to meet us and other families from the school and the wider community. Your child may even want to take on a participating role as a chorister or server or to join our regular family-friendly events.
I, like many people, know of the critical importance of education in the life of every child and we as a church community want to support that work in all the ways we can, especially through our school. Every child is precious and beautiful and should be afforded the best possible education. This will enable them to fulfil their greatest potential – not just academically, but in the development of their whole character and experiences that will enable them to be young people who go out into the world with confidence in their abilities. As was said by a great saint, the glory of God is seen in a human being fully alive. The school and the parish church work together so that all our children will flourish in every way possible in our partnership.
Father André
